Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A few times a week I go blog hopping: starting with one blog that I visit regularly, I read the day's comments and then click on one of the commentators and hop over to their blog. From there, hop to another commentator's blog, and so on. It's addictive, but so entertaining and inspiring. Today I began in Vermont (above) and hopped to France and Luxembourg and Australia, etc., a great romp!

Saturday, November 26, 2011

During this post-Thanksgiving weekend, everything is a jumble - what I call 'mishmasheroni': clearing up from the holiday, catching up with mail and chores, and creating order on the desk to return to a work-in-progress.

In the midst of this bustle, two photographs arrived.

This first one (above) is of my six-year-old grandson being a soldier.

That's a crab pot strainer helmet.

Of course.

When my own son was young, I didn't buy him toy guns,

but he fashioned guns out of sticks

and helmets out of pots

nonetheless.

The second photo (below) came from my friend Louise. Her dog had pups. Two of them:

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

I am intrigued by alternate covers for books, especially those printed in other countries. Book covers say so much about each publisher's sense of the best market for the book. You will see, below, a range of styles. Perhaps you will choose a favorite? And a least favorite?

British paperback covers.

Although I am now consulted on the American covers and sometimes the British, I don't see the others until after they are published.

To be continued tomorrow. . .

Meanwhile, do you have any favorites or least-favorites from the above?

Sunday, November 13, 2011

This is Roan, my grandchildren's new pup, a rescue dog part-Australian Shepherd and part Dachshund.

He is the softest, sweetest, floppiest dog I've ever met. Look at that face.

My husband and I have just returned from visiting our daughter and grandchildren. We are besotted with the grandchildren - and now - the puppy, too. But I won't blather on about it. I don't have the right words to tell you without sounding enormously sappy.

Monday, November 7, 2011

On Saturday, my husband and I attended Adventure Stage's brilliant, lively, engaging performance of Walk Two Moons at the Vittum Theater in Chicago. Wow!

It seemed fitting and perfect that the play was opening in Chicago, for that is where I received the Newbery Medal for this book in June, 1995.

The Adventure Stage group put on a professional, polished ensemble production that moved me greatly. Laughed. Cried. Loved the actors, director, crew, playwright. Everyone. Full house - a beautiful audience with a great mix of students, parents, teachers, librarians and general public. Wonderful, cozy theater.

The above shot is an attempt to capture the giant poster advertising the play. That's me and a mysterious red-hooded child in the reflection.

After the play, I joined the cast and playwright onstage for 'talk back' - taking questions, both serious and humorous, from the audience. Following that was a reception for all (with ice cream) and book signing.

We loved it all. The next morning, before we left for the airport, we took a walk on Michigan Avenue.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Adventure Stage in Chicago has adapted Walk Two Moons for the stage, opening today for students and on Saturday for the public. I'll be there on Saturday. Can't wait!

It is an odd experience to see your words acted out by others and to see and hear the audience's reactions. It's as if you are viewing someone else's creation - which, in part, it is - but a creation that is so intimate, so familiar, that you feel disoriented, but in a good way.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Occasionally - no, often - in the blur of everyday normal chaos, things are forgotten. I don't have to explain; you know how it is - birthdays, keys, appointments, gloves, notes, watch, phone.

And when you are writing a novel, you are trying to keep a thousand other details in your head - details of plot and character and setting and dialogue, of structure and tone and style. And then as the book nears publication, you are trying to retain details about book jackets and flap copy and marketing and promotion. All good stuff.

But sometimes you forget some of that good stuff. Yesterday I came across a terrific teaching guide for Love That Dog and Hate That Cat.

About Me

Revolver Map

Words We Say

“Maybe we’re here only to say: house, bridge, well, gate, jug, olive-tree, window--at most, pillar, tower--but to say them, remember, oh! to say them in a way that the things themselves never dreamed of so intensely.” --Rilke